On January 28th, Prof. Emil Pfender from the University of Minnesota passed away at the age of 90. Prof. Pfender carried out pioneering work in the science and technology of thermal plasmas. In particular, he made exceptional contributions to our fundamental understanding of plasma arc dynamics, as well as the heat and momentum transfers to particles in thermal plasmas.
Prof. Pfender was co-founder and co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing for 25 years. He also co-authored, with Profs. Pierre Fauchais and Maher Boulos, the highly cited book, Thermal Plasmas: Fundamentals and Applications. Prof. Pfender was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1986, and received numerous prestigious awards for his internationally recognized work.
Beside his exceptional career, Prof. Pfender was an extraordinary human being. When I met him for the first time in the early nineties, I was immediately impressed by his calmness, imposing presence, and serenity. He spoke slowly with a charming smile, not only about thermal plasmas, but also about his passions for old airplanes, trees, and for his children and grandchildren. He was always respectful of others’ ideas, and expressed his own opinion with clarity and simplicity. In fact, he was a real gentleman!
We will miss you and your comforting presence, Emil.
Christian
Christian Moreau, President, ASM Thermal Spray Society
